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Geography - A LEVEL > interlinkages & human impacts - P > Flashcards

interlinkages & human impacts - P Flashcards

1
Q

what are the similarities of carbon and water cycles

A
  • both essential to life
  • continuously cycle in a closed system at a global scale
  • share similar stores - biosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere
  • have spatial and temporal variations
  • influenced by similar human activities climate change, deforestation and agriculture
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2
Q

how does the atmosphere link carbon and water cycles

A

water is exchanged from the atmosphere between oceans and plants which are both important carbon stores

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3
Q

how do the oceans link carbon and water cycles

A

ocean acidity increases when CO2 is imbalanced, low temps means higher solubility of CO2 into oceans. CO2 levels influence temperature and the melting of ice sheets and glaciers

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4
Q

how do vegetation and soil link the carbon and water cycles

A

water availability influences photosynthesis and NPP. Water storage increases with organic content. Temperature and rainfall affect decomposition rates (CO2)

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5
Q

how does the cryosphere link the carbon and water cycles

A

CO2 levels determine intensity of greenhouse affect and melting of ice. Melting exposes land and permafrost exposes organic matter which can be decomposed producing CO2 and CH4

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6
Q

what can water depletion lead to

A

aquifers can have saltwater intrusion due to over pumping of aquifers

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7
Q

how many tonnes of CO2 are released by burning fossil fuels each year

A

8 billion tonnes

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8
Q

how much has historic forest cover decreased due to deforestation

A

50%

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9
Q

from 1901 to 2020 how much did global temperatures rise

A

1.1 degree Celsius

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10
Q

how much did sea level rise accelerate

A

1.7mm/year in the 20th century to 3.2mm/year since 1993

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11
Q

how much has the area covered in sea ice shrunk since 1979

A

40%

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12
Q

how much permafrost is at risk of melting

A

85%

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13
Q

how much has the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere risen by since 1958

A

25%

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14
Q

how much has the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere risen by since the industrial revolution

A

40%

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15
Q

which ecosystem is most vulnerable to climate change

A

the arctic

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16
Q

how do plants adapt to climate change

A

can bloom earlier or expand their geographic range

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17
Q

what causes plants and animals to not be able to adapt

A

increasing temperatures and changing precipitation patterns

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18
Q

what happens to invasive species due to climate change

A

they may thrive in even more places because of climate change

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19
Q

how much CO2 in the atmosphere (from fossil fuels) is absorbed by the oceans

A

30%

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20
Q

what happens as the ocean becomes more acidic

A

it cannot absorb as much CO2 and kills phytoplankton

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21
Q

what does thermal expansion cause

A

rising sea levels, ice sheets and glaciers melting, coastal areas become more at risk of erosion and storm surge

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22
Q

what increases the frequency of flooding and droughts due to climate change

A

more frequent and stronger events

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23
Q

in areas with little precipitation but snow what do they use as a fresh water source

A

snowpack

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24
Q

as temperatures warm what happens to snowpack

A

there is less of it so it is not a reliable source for warm seasons

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25
Q

what happens to water as there is more evaporation

A

there is more water vapour which is a natural greenhouse gas

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26
Q

what happens to water storage in the cryosphere due to climate change

A

it decreases as it is transferred to the oceans and the atmosphere

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27
Q

what means that hurricanes and storms become more frequent and more powerful

A

water vapour is a source f energy so extreme weather events become more frequent and stronger

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28
Q

how much of the worlds energy relies on fossil fuels

A

84% of primary energy consumption

29
Q

for how many years has the exploitation of fossil fuels gained momentum

A

the past 30 years

30
Q

how many tonnes of carbon are put into the atmosphere each year by burning

A

8 billion tonnes

31
Q

how much carbon is transferred to the atmosphere each year from land use (deforestation etc.)

A

1 billion tonnes

32
Q

how much carbon is absorbed by the oceans each year

A

2.5 million tonnes

33
Q

how much carbon is absorbed by the biosphere each year

A

around 2.5 million tonnes

34
Q

what happens to decomposition rates when temps increase

A

decomposition increases so carbon transfer’s accelerate

35
Q

what happens when forests are replaced with grasslands

A

they store less carbon

36
Q

what will happen to boreal forests due to climate change

A

they will expand poleward as they can now survive there also

37
Q

what happens to peat stores due to climate change

A

they decompose due to oxidation

38
Q

how much forest cover ahs deforestation reduced it by

A

50%

39
Q

how much CO2 is absorbed by phytoplankton from the burning of fossil fuels

A

they absorb more than half of the CO2 from burning fossil fuels

40
Q

why do soils store less carbon

A

due to erosion from deforestation and agricultural mismanagement

41
Q

what happens to carbon stores in wetlands when they are drained

A

the carbon is released
they are usually drained for cultivation or urban development

42
Q

what are the 3 main water management strategies

A
  • forestry techniques
  • water allocation decision making
  • drainage basin planning
43
Q

what are forestry techniques

A

is creating and managing planting and use of forests to maintain a healthy ecosystem. This is usually a protected area where there are rules and boundaries about what you can//cannot do.

44
Q

what are the advantages of forestry techniques

A
  • stabilizes the regional water cycle
  • offsets 1.4 billion tonnes of carbon each year
  • supports indigenous forest communities
  • promotes ecotourism
  • protects the genetic bank of plant species in the forests
45
Q

what are the disadvantages of forestry techniques

A
  • skills gap - lack of awareness and education to enforce can lead to primary forest loss
  • can create monocultures that are vulnerable to disease and reduce biodiversity
  • not all areas are protected / will always be protected
46
Q

what is water allocation and decision making

A

in countries with water scarcity, the government has to make decisions to do with allocation of water

47
Q

what are the advantages of water allocation and decision making

A
  • increases water use efficiency as well as preserving resources for future use
  • promotes fair and equitable distribution of water resources
48
Q

what are the disadvantages of water allocation and decision making

A
  • competition for water allocation can result in conflicts
  • human uses are often prioritized over environmental considerations
  • can be difficult to monitor
  • areas may be so affected by drought allocation schemes are insufficient
49
Q

what is drainage basin planning

A

when building is rarely done on floodplains as it is planned to reduce damage in case of a flood - farmland may be on the floodplain and houses higher up the drainage basin

50
Q

what are the advantages of drainage basin planning

A
  • balances human use with environmental considerations
  • protects both surface water and groundwater storage supplies
  • green roofs and nature based solutions which promote biodiversity and conserve water.
51
Q

what are the disadvantages of drainage basin planning

A
  • areas heavily affected by drought it may not work
  • building on floodplains may still occur
  • monitoring and enforcement can be difficult
  • may be hard where floodplains have already been built on
52
Q

what are the 6 main carbon management strategies

A
  • afforestation
    -reducing emissions
  • wetland restoration
  • improving agricultural practices
  • direct air capture (DOC)
  • carbon capture and storage (CCS)
53
Q

what is afforestation

A

the establishment of a forest or group of trees in a previously empty area

54
Q

what are the advantages of afforestation

A
  • it has large carbon sequestration potential if it is done on a sufficient scale
55
Q

what are the disadvantages of afforestation

A
  • expensive on a large scale
  • replacing natural ecosystems can affect biodiversity
  • takes time for trees to grow to full carbon sequestration potential
56
Q

how do people reduce emissions

A

through international agreements or cap & trade where businesses are given CO2 quotas

57
Q

what is wetland restoration

A

the manipulation of a former or degraded wetland to return to its natural functions

58
Q

what are the advantages of wetland restoration

A
  • wetlands are a natural flood defense
  • large carbon sequestration if done on a sufficient scale
59
Q

what are the disadvantages of wetland restoration

A
  • takes time to restore
  • loss of biodiversity may be difficult to reverse
  • farmers may need reimbursement
  • may raise flood risks nearby
60
Q

how do people improve agricultural practices

A

managing land and crops by preserving soils and growing crops among trees

61
Q

what are the advantages of improving agricultural practices

A
  • low cost to implement
  • benefits farmers yield through increased soil fertility
62
Q

what are the disadvantages of improving agricultural practices

A
  • skills gap - lack of education/ awareness
  • has to be large scale to make a difference
  • difficult to measure emission benefits
  • would need specific solutions based on local area
63
Q

what is direct air capture (DAC)

A

where CO2 is directly removed from the air

64
Q

what are the advantages of direct air capture (DAC)

A
  • a realistic option that allows economic development while addressing C02 issues
  • can address historic emissions that have already been released
65
Q

what are the disadvantages of direct air capture (DAC)

A
  • very expensive
  • new technology so unsure of its scale
  • may not reduce emissions as some countries will rely on storing emissions
66
Q

what is carbon capture and storage (CCS)

A

where carbon emissions can be directly captured and then pumped underground

67
Q

what are the advantages of carbon capture and storage (CCS)

A
  • a realistic option that allows economic development while addressing C02 issues
  • could be long term as it uses spaces in rock from fossil fuel extraction
  • many projects underway - may be successful in the future
68
Q

what are the disadvantages of carbon capture and storage (CCS)

A
  • very expensive so not available to all
  • emissions captured are smaller than produced
  • countries may not reduce emissions as they can just store them

Geography - A LEVEL (24 decks)

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